The levers of eco-efficiency and how they impact green operations

Many companies understand that going green can be beneficial for business. However, they are often unsure of how they can accomplish that goal. It's one thing to adopt sustainability as an organization, but another to put the practices in place to actually achieve that objective.

As Accenture notes, there are several “levers” of eco-efficiency that businesses can take advantage of to help them go green. While broad, these levers can act as guidelines to help organizations get in the right train of thought. The seven levers are: Use fewer materials, use less energy, reduce toxic emissions, maximize renewable resources, recycle more, design more durable products and design more versatile products.

A Kaizen advocate would see that several of these levers can be utilized to also reduce manufactured wastes, such as transportation, motion and overproduction. For example, using less energy could result in the reduction of transportation, while recycling more could lead to less overproduction. Businesses should utilize these eco-efficiency levers to help them maintain productivity while also achieving sustainability.

Going green doesn't negatively impact business

It's important to remember that going green doesn't necessarily mean businesses have to surrender profitability, as both can be achieved simultaneously

“For example, one large cabinet maker in North Carolina saved more than $1.2 million annually in reduced energy and missions by using elements of Lean improvement, including value stream mapping, to identify exactly where waste is occurring, and Kaizen events, which are rapid improvement initiatives to determine and implement the proposed solution,” the Accenture white paper adds.

Lean and green are best accomplished when companies understand how they relate from the outset. Because the levers of eco-efficiency correlate so strongly with the seven wastes, businesses should devise plans that address both aspects from the moment they decide they want to go green.

“Reducing any waste can significantly improve a company's eco-efficiency, while driving down costs. What's more, if an organization uses Lean tools during product development, these new products can have a much higher level of sustainability,” Accenture adds.

Going green is an easy way to improve corporate culture while also maintaining sustainability through Lean. Companies need to consider this option as they plan for their futures.